The present invention relates to a positioning device for positioning of a conveyed goods carrier movable on a conveyor track along a transport path in a transport direction in at least one clamped position having a predetermined relationship to the transport direction, wherein the positioning device comprises:                stop means;        movement means, which is spaced from the stop means and performs a positioning movement, and        movement means drive, which drives the movement means so that the        movement means performs the positioning movement; and        
wherein the movement means has a geometric positioning element, which is movable by the positioning movement from an out-of-engagement position into an engaged position, in which the geometric positioning element is engaged with a geometric positioning counter element so that the conveyed goods carrier is arranged between the movement means and the stop means in a clamped position.
Furthermore the present invention relates to a conveyor system for motion of a conveyed goods carrier in a transport or conveying direction along a transport path on a conveyor track. This conveyor system comprises the conveyor track, which extends both in the transport direction and also in a transport track orthogonal transverse direction, a drive means coupled with the conveyed goods carrier for motion transmission, especially at least one circulating drive means, preferably at least one circulating conveyor chain and/or at least one circulating conveyor belt. The conveyor system also includes a positioning device with the above-described features.
A positioning device and a transport system of the above-described type are known from DE 100 45 743 A1. The known positioning device with the geometric positioning element has a cylinder acted on with pressure, which has a clamping pin that is extendable from it and retractable into it acting as movement drive means. This clamping pin and pressurized cylinder form a piston-cylinder system.
The positioning device known from DE 100 45 743 A1 is arranged in a conveyor system so that the conveyed goods carrier is clamped between the stop means and the movement means and held and arranged in the desired clamped position when the clamping pin is in the engaged position, which corresponds to an extended position of the clamping pin from the pressurized cylinder.
The disadvantage of the known positioning device and/or the known transport system is that the clamping pin provides by form fit an exact arrangement of the conveyed goods carrier in the desired clamped position and also the holding forced required for holding the conveyed goods carrier in this clamped position. Since the conveyed goods carrier is usually arranged in the desired clamped position in order to perform the desired working and/or removing and/or loading processes on the conveyed goods and/or on the conveyed goods carrier, the required holding force can take a considerable size. Bending moments acting on the clamping pin extending from the pressurized cylinder in the clamping position can take a size, which permanently damages the positioning device and makes it unusable. The unusability can comprise impaired movability of the clamping pin by jamming in the cylinder or in an inaccurate positioning because of the shape changes.